Exterior heat and light control apparatus for air conditioned enclosures



Jam 7, 1941- J. w. CONVERSE Erm. 2,227,806

lEXIERIQR HEAT AND LIGHT CONTROL APPARATUS FOR AIR CONDITIONED ENCLOSURES r) i L 3o -l 777 @a 2/ 50 /0 f 53 lNvEN-rons 02 93 M I:-

3@ .-5 LJWOHN WTCgwEesE 43 I a T- IQ. 35 EY aurez name2 9 2) ,511,4 I n Yrl'f'm" ATTORNEY Jan. 7, 1941.4

50 S'Illl .J w. CONVERSE Erm. 2,227,806

EXTERIOR .HEAT AND LIGHT CONTROL APPARATUS FOR AIR CONDITIONED ENCLOSURES Filed May 27, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS dol-N W. CONVERSE Wam-Ez T FAEMEB.

ATTORN EY J. W. CONVERSE EIAL EXTERIOR HEAT AND LIGHT CONTROL APPARATUS FOR AIR CONDIITIONED` ENCLOSURES Jan. 7, 1941.

Filed May 27, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLO SURE S John W. Converse, Rosemont, and Walter T. Farmer, Philadelphia, Pa.

Appiication May 27, 1933, Serial No. 210,484

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the field of controlling air temperature especially in railroad cars and relates more particularly to apparatus for preventing transmission of heat through a window into the interior of an enclosure such as a car but at the same time insuring proper passage of light into the same, the control of the air temperature hereinafter being broadly referred to as air conditioning.

Air conditioning of railway cars has presented many peculiar and difficult problems arising from various conditions such as the relatively large surface exposure of the car in combination with a great multiplicity of windows on each side thereof. The windows on one side of a car may be exposed to the full sun rays while simultaneously the windows on the opposite side are on the shady side of the car. Or these conditions may periodically reverse during the days travel depending upon the curves of the railroad track. Another difiiculty is that the length of the passenger space within the car requires constant circulation of cooled air therein and this taken with the fact that a passenger is normally seated within the car adjacent a window which may be 0n the sunny side is apt to cause an abnormal feeling of both heat and cold. While this condition can be overcome by drawing down the window shade, yet this has the serious disadvantages of not only obstructing passage of light into the car but also ci allowing the suns heat rays to enter the car, thereby imposing a very large load upon the air conditioning apparatus. This additional load may be of considerable magnitude on hot summer days or when travelling through desert country or southern climates.

It is an object of our invention to provide improved means whereby all of the disadvantages above mentioned may be effectively overcome without incurring any of the disadvantages thereof. To this end, improved sun radiation deflecting means are associated with each window in such a manner as to prevent infiltration of the suns heat rays and thereby minimize placing additional load on the air conditioning equipment as well as minimizing abnormal feeling of discomfort by a passenger due to simultaneous presence of heat and cold.

A further object of our invention is to provide improved means for adequately and safely supporting and housing said radiation blinds on the outside of the car window and to allow such blinds to be adjusted, by a passenger from within the car, in accordance with varying directions of the sun rays.

A further object is to provide an improvedsun radiation apparatus placed outside of a car window, or window of any other air conditioned enclosure, and arranged so as to permit the apparatus to be readily moved away from the Window 5 to permit unobstructed access to the surface thereof for purposes of cleaning, inspecting or repairing the same. Another object in this respect is to provide improved blind adjusting means in6 l combination with the foregoing structure which 10 allows movement of the apparatus away from the window, whereby certain parts of the apparatus and adjustingmeans are adapted to be readlyseparated from each other upon occurrence of said movement or to be reestablished when the appac'1li ratus is moved back to its normal position in front of the window.

Another object is to provide an improved structure for preferably hinging the apparatus on the side of the car and to positively lock the same in position with no possibility of the apparatus becoming unlocked except when deliberately operated for this purpose.

A further object is to provide an improved sun radiation deecting blind for railway cars that is rugged and relatively simple and economical in operation, construction and maintenance, as well as presenting a pleasing exterior appearance and being readily applied to existing cars.

Other objects and advantages will be more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an outside front elevation of our improved sun radiation blind, parts of which are broken away to show details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken generally on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing the locking mechanism in its unlocked position contrasted to the locked position shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line E-S of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'l--l of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the frame viewed from the rear side thereof and with all operating parts removed;

Fig. 9 is a perspective of the front side of the frame with certain parts removed and other parts broken away to shown the relation of the locking mechanism to the frame;

lso

Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line I 0-I9 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a perspective of the rear side of the member for supporting the frame and for guiding the blind adjusting cam bar;

Fig. 13 is a front elevational view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 1 but showing a modified arrangement for adjusting the blinds, a portion of the supporting member for the adjusting means being shown in section;

Fig. 14 is a transverse section taken on the line I4I4 of Fig. 13.

In the particular embodiments of the invention, such as are disclosed herein merely for the purpose of illustrating certain specific forms among possible others that the invention might take in practice, we have conventionally shown in Fig. 2 the window and side wall structure of a railway car. It will of course be understood that our invention is applicable to various types of window and car constructions, but the present structure will sufce for purposes of illustration. The car side wall includes usual portions I and 2 disposed above and below the windows 3 which are herein lshown of the double window type. The windows are supported upon usual window sills 4 and between sash frames 5, Fig. 3, supported in any usual manner by the car frame wall 6 located between adjacent windows. Mounted in front of the windows 3 is our improved sun radiation blind generally comprising a main frame 9, Figs. 8 and 9, a series of adjustable sun radiation blind elements I0, blind adjusting mechanism II, and shutter locking means I2, the blind elements l being of any suitable sun deflecting or heat absorbing material such as metal or wood.

The frame 9, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, has vertical sheet metal sides I4 and I5, which terminate in short reversely curved end portions I6 and I1 and are connected at their upper and lower ends by horizontal sheet metal strip portions I8 and I9. This frame is preferably formed vof one piece of sheet metal although it could be fabricalted in any suitable manner. As shown in Fig. 8, the reversely curved portions I6 and I1 are cross-connected by upper and lower horizontal angle irons 29 and 2l. These angle irons have curvedI ends with fthe vertical legs thereof secured as at 22 to the curved portions I6 and I1. The curved ends of the angle iron are also suitably interltted as at 23 with vertical angle irons 24 and 25. One leg of these vertical angle irons is secured as alt 25' to the reversely curved frame portions I6 and I1 while the transverse legs have a series of openings 26 to receive pivot pins 21 formed as part of the series of sunradiation blind slarts Ill. The slats I9 after being assembled in side pieces 24 and 25 are commonly connected and operated by narrow vertical bars 39 and.I 3I, Fig. 1, at each end of the slats, these bars being pivotally connected thereto as at 32.

To vertically reciprocate bar 39 the same is pivo-tally co-nnected by a link 28 to a rod 33 which is supported by the U-shaped or reversely curved frame end I6 through a guide lug 34 and a combined spring container and hinge element 35. The elements 34 and 35 are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the reversely benft end I6. As shown in Fig. 10, the rod 33 is normally biased downwardly by a spring 36 which is interposed between a collar 31 formed on rod 33 and a guide collar 38 threaded in the hinge bushing 35. The other operating rod 3| is pivotally connected by the reversely bent pontion I6.

a link 39 :to an arm 49, Fig. 11, which is secured to one end of a transverse shafrt 4I whose other end securely carries a freely projecting arm 42. Shaft 4I is journalledin a suitable bearing 43 which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to angle iron 2|. The frame 9, slats I9 and operating mechanism therefor so far described all constitulte a self-containedI unit.

To movably support the foregoing self-contained unit on the car with an extremely rugged and safe connection therewith and at -the same time permit ready accessibility to the window for purposes of cleaning, repairing or inspecting the same, wev provide the following means. As shown in Figs. 1 and '7 a bracket 45 is secured to the car frame and has a hinge porrtion 46 turned outwardly to extendthrough an opening 41 in A boss 48, Figs. 1 and 8, is welded or otherwise suitably secured in the upper corner of the bent portion I6 so as to be p-ivotally supported on bracket 45 and held -thereto by a bolt 49. To suppont the lower end of frame 9 on the car, the frame rests upon what is herein termed a sill 59 which has three supporting arms I, Fig. l2, extending downwardly and inwardly for attachment as at 52 to the car side 2, Fig. 2. The lower'hinge structure 35 is journalled in a suitable opening 53 of sill 56, Figs. and 12. Guiding supports 55 are bent in from the sill structure 50 so as to underlie the same and are additionally connected thereto by pairs of pins 56. A horizontal cam bar 51, Figs. 1 and 2, is supported on lips 55 and is guided between pins 56. This bar has cam surfaces 58 and 59 extending downwardly from its upper horizontal edge. To adjust the angular position of the slats I9, the lower end of rod 33, Figs. 1 and 10, rides on said upper edge of bar 51. A cam follower 6D is provided with an opening through which lthe other end of the bar extends, while a spring 6I interposedl between the follower 69 and sill 59 urges said follower into contact with said bar. A pin 62, formed as part of the follower, engages arm 42. When cam bar 51 is moved to fthe right from the posirtion shown in Fig. l, the inclined cam surfaces 58 and 59 will allow follower 69 and pin 33 to move downwardly under the action of their respective springs 36 and 6I, thereby adjusting the angularity of the slats through links andl arms 28, 39, 49, 42 and verttical side links 39 and 3I, Figs. 1 and 2.

To adjust the longitudinal position of cam bar 51 from within the car, We have provided av shaft 65 extending through the car walls 2 and provided at its inner end with a hand knob or crank 66 to be operated by a passenger while its other end has a pinion 61 meshing wilth gear teeth 68 formed on theunder edge of cam bar 51. While the foregoing adjusting arrangement permits individual passengers to adjust the sun radiation blinds in accordance with .the angularity of the suns rays and in accordance with the amount of light desired, yet it is also necessary to be able to movably support the frame and slats carried thereby Without interference from the normally xed operalting rod 65 or associated parts. f To this end, it will be noted that the hinge axis of frame 9, Fig. 1, extends through bolt 49 and rod 33, lthereby allowing the left end of the frame unit to be moved oultwardly while still maintaining contact'between rod 33 and cam bar 51. Outward movement of the frame unit will cause arm 42, Fig. l1, to be moved automatically away from and cult of contact with pin 62. However, 4

upon swinging the frame unit back into position, the arm 42 will automatically be brought back into superimposed operative relation to pin 62. 'lhis provides breakable or separable connecting means adapted to be rendered inoperative upon movement of the frame unit and to loe rendered automatically operative when the unit is re- Placed.

To releasably hold the frame unit in position, we have provided as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 9 a vertically movable locking rod 10 disposed within the reversely bent frame end I1 and guided in brackets 1| and 12 which are welded or otherwise suitably secured to the rear leg of said portion I1. The lower end of this rod is receivable within an opening 13 formed in the sill 5U while the upper end is receivable in an opening formed in a boss 14, Fig. 5. The boss 14 is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the car frame l and extends outwardly therefrom and through a recessed corner 14 formed in the reversely bent portion l1. The boss 14 has a slot 15 through which a atted portion 16 on the rod is adapted to pass when the frame unit is moved inwardly or outwardly from the car side. When the rod 10 is in its locked position, such as when it extends into hole 13, then the flatted portion 16 is not only rotated 90 from that shown in Fig. but is also moved downwardly under the force of a spring 18', Fig. 4, so that the upper cylindrical end of rod 1B is wholly within the opening of boss 14. The rod is there by firmly locked against displacement from the boss 14 and opening 15. To lift rod 10 and also rotate the same to unlock the ilatted portion 15, we have provided an arm 18 having a hub 19 secured to shaft and provided with an apertured ringer grip 8o. To allow the arm 18 to move vertically and to be rotated, the lower end of the reversely bent portion I1 is cut out, Fig. 8, with a recess 8| and an arcuate slot 82. When the rod is in its locking position, arm 18 is in its rear position as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 6, in which position arm 18 can move vertically downwardly into recess 8 l. To unlock the frame, the operator inserts his finger within the apertured nger grip 80 and vertically moves arm 18 upwardly through slot 8| and then rotates said arrn forwardly into the arcuate slot 82. The initial upward movement unlocks the rod from recess 13 and also moves the uppermost circular portion of rod 1!) out of the opening in boss 14, Fig. 5. The subsequent forward rotation of arm 18 causes flatted portion 16 to be rotated into alignment with slot whereupon the frame can be swung outwardly from the car by the operator pulling outwardly on finger grip 80. It is thus seen that a very positive and yet readily releasable locking arrangement is provided and it is so arranged as to insure utmost safety and ruggedness without unduly encumbering the apparatus or rendering it unsightly.

In the modification shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the vertical rod 33 and the cam follower 60 for adjusting the angularity of the slats are operated by a pair of cams 90 and 9i corresponding generally to the cam surfaces 58 and 59. These cams are simultaneously horizontally reciprocated by a threaded shaft 92 which is rotated by bevel gears S3 and 94, the shaft for gear 94 extending through the car side similar to shaft 65, Fig. 2, for operation from the interior of the car. This modification is otherwise identical in every respect to the preferred form and has the same advantages thereof.

ing and reestablishment of an operative connec tion between certain parts of the adjusting structure with no attention required on the part of the operator and without sacrice of any of the 'rugged qualities ofthe apparatus.

It will of course be understood that various changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

l.. In combination, an enclosure having a wall with a window therein, frame normally disposed in front of said window on the outside thereof and pivotally supported by said wall so as to swing relative thereto, angularly adjustable sun radiation slats supported by said frame, and means extending through said wall into said enclosure and having operative connections with said slats to angularly adjust the same, said operative connections including a movable slat operating element, and means whereby said frame has pivotal swinging movement away from or toward the window about the axis of said element thereby allowing the operating element to maintain a predetermined position relative to said frame and wall at all times.

2. In combination, an enclosure having a wall with a window therein, a frame normally disposed in front of said window on the outside thereof and pivotally supported by said wall so as to swing relative thereto, angularly adjustable sun radiation slats supported by said frame, and means extending through said wall into said enclosure and having operative connections with said slats to angularly adjust the same, said operative connections including a plurality of ino-vable slat operating elements and actuating means therefor, one of said elements having an axis substantially coinciding with the pivotal axis of said frame so as to maintain a continuous connection with its said actuating means during swinging movement of said frame while the other of said elements is separable from its said actuating means upon movement of the frame away from said wall.

3. In combination, an enclosure having a wall with a window therein, a frame normally disposed outside of said window and movably supported by said wall, a series of angularly adjustable sun radiation slats supported by said frame, slat adjusting means extending through said wall into said enclosure and having operative connections with said slats including a cam having a variable surface and a cam follower element engageable with said surface whereby the slats are adjusted upon relative movements between said cam surface and follower, means for supporting said cam and cam follower element by said wall, and a separable connection between said follower elements and slats whereby said frame may be moved relative to said wall.

JOHN W. CONVERSE. WALTER T. FARMER. 

